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Basics: Analysis
Thinking things through
|
Creationism
Evolution The Meaning of Life Morality |
Rationalization and Reasoning
Simplicity Why Faith Persists |
Creationism
GWBAA definition:
The belief that the universe was created by God; usually associated with belief that the Bible is literally true.
For a critique of creationism, read here.
Evolution
GWBAA definition:
The process by which life develops from single-celled organisms into complex life-forms.
For a beginner's guide to evolution, click here.
The Meaning of Life
Meaning (purpose) is a human concept that only applies to human actions. Human beings are self-conscious - we are aware of ourselves and our actions. When we do something to achieve a result, that action has purpose or meaning.
Where there is no self-consciousness, there is no meaning. Galaxies, stars, planets and the universe itself come into existence and eventually end without meaning. On earth the tides ebb and flow, the sun shines, rain and snow fall, plants grow and wither, and animals are born, live and die - all without purpose or meaning.
Our own existence has no meaning. That is a simple fact, neither bad nor good. We can, however, give our lives meaning. We can seek goals such as wealth, power and happiness for ourselves, or justice and freedom for others.
Others say
"Why do you want to know the meaning of life?"
Aristotle.net
"The meaning of life is to increase fitness"
Principia Cybernetica Web
"Forty-two"
Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as discussed in
Wikipedia
Questions for believers
It is often argued that God created us to worship him, and therefore the purpose of our lives is to worship God. But if that is true, what is the purpose of God's existence? And who or what ordained that purpose?
And if God's existence doesn't need a purpose, why should our existence need a purpose?
Morality
GWBAA says:
"The only purpose of a moral code is to promote happiness"
Like meaning, morality is a human concept that only applies to human actions.
There is no morality in nature. The tides ebb and flow, the sun rises, rain falls, volcanoes erupt, plants grow and are eaten by herbivores, herbivores are eaten by carnivores and the dead bodies of carnivores return to the earth in one form or another to feed the next generation of plants. None of these events is moral or immoral; they occur and that is all.
Morality is based on the premise that human life is precious and should be preserved. We are all of equal value, irrespective of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability or other condition. The only purpose and function of a moral code is to allow each of us to pursue health and happiness in our own way, as long as our actions do not harm others.
More about morality:
What moral values?
Others say
"concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct"
WordNet
Rationalization & Reasoning
GWBAA definition:
"a rationale is a false reason"
Look at this example:
John, an alcoholic, tells himself that he is going into a bar because it is raining.
John's rationale for going into the bar is because it is raining.
John's reason for going into the bar is because he needs a drink.
Another way of comparing the two:
When you have decided what the answer is and look for arguments to support that answer, you are rationalizing. Most believers decide that God exists and then look for arguments to prove that they are right. They are rationalizing.
When you do not know the answer, but you follow the facts and logic and see where they lead you, you are reasoning. Most atheists start off with an open mind about God (many actually believe in him), but are led by facts and logic to conclude that he does not exist. They are reasoning.
We use rationales and rationalization to hide truths from ourselves and from others. Often we are not aware that we are rationalizing.
Children aren't properly taught the difference between rationalization and reasoning - which explains why many adults have difficulty understanding the difference between the two. If we all learned to reason more and rationalize less, the world would be a happier place...
Religion
Most religions involve some or all of the following elements:
The relative importance given to each of these elements varies from religion to religion and from individual to individual.
Read more in Why Gods Persist by Robert A Hinde (Routledge, 1999).
Simplicity
GWBAA definition:
"what you see is what you get"
Life is simple. We are born; we live; we die.
Life may be simple, but it is not easy. Many things prevent us from enjoying life to the full. Sometimes these are internal - we do not learn the skills we need to be happy - and sometimes they are external - we are born and live in parts of the world mired in poverty or famine or war.
One way of dealing with our own inadequacy or with the problems that face us to assume that there is a secret that "explains" the world around us. Aliens walk amongst us, the Queen of England is a drug smuggler, Jews were warned of the 9 / 11 attacks, a nuclear bomb caused last year's tsunami, [add your favorite theory here] and so on. And God exists to promise us eternal life.
None of these statements is true, but believers can always find "evidence" to support them - evidence which falls apart on serious analysis.
Of course many things are hidden from public view. Governments are overthrown, companies hide their accounting failures and their destruction of the environment, men and women plan and commit murder and other crimes. But the wilder fantasies that so many people believe in, from alien abductions to God's Rapture, have no basis in reality.
A life without faith is a life based on truth. It is simple and honest. It can, and should be liberating and rewarding. We are born; we live; we die. It's all we have and it's all we need.
Why Faith Persists
Faith - belief in one or more supernatural beings despite any evidence that they exist - persists for many reasons.
These reasons will be examined in later columns of God would be an atheist...
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"Today belief in God is crazy, pointless and sometimes downright harmful, but that wasn't always the case. Religion helped us evolve from primates dominated by short-term instinct into human beings capable of forming sophisticated societies."
The evolution of religion
"The United States prides itself on championing freedom and in enshrining the pursuit of happiness in its constitution. It is ironic that so many Americans espouse a moral code whose impact is to restrict both freedom and happiness. America needs moral values, but values that respect and honor every citizen."
What moral values?
"Maybe Noah had some help building the Ark; he may have contracted some of the men on God’s death list. 'No, no… there isn’t going to be a Flood. I just want to give the wife something to look at while she’s washing dishes.' "
How did the turkey get to America?
"In 2002, seven women were ordained priests. Wasn’t that great, especially since the Church has a problem recruiting young men to the priesthood? So what was the Pope’s response to these people who wanted to serve God? He threw up his hands in horror at the fact that the seven had the spiritual, but not the physical, balls to be priests and excommunicated them."
Men only
"Forcing, allowing or encouraging any child to participate in any religious practice, such as baptism, prayer, the hymn-singing, wearing of religious symbols or declaration of faith, should be considered a crime as serious as physical or sexual abuse. Parents who repeatedly expose their offspring to religious practices should lose custody of those children."
Protect the children
Looking for...
rationales?
reasons?
respect?
Search this site
atheism.about.com
Of course GWBAA does not agree with all points expressed in these sites.